hello, i have what i believe to be coil pick up wires that are on my 69 nova 350 with an updated distributor. the problem is that there are 2 wires on a harness but the spot where they plug in is supose to receive 3 wires. the 2 wires i have are green and purple. can someone tell me what is going wrong or mabey what colors plug into where.

hello, i have what i believe to be coil pick up wires that are on my 69 nova 350 with an updated distributor. the problem is that there are 2 wires on a harness but the spot where they plug in is supose to receive 3 wires. the 2 wires i have are green and purple. can someone tell me what is going wrong or mabey what colors plug into where.

Doc here,

Kinda lost here..

When you say "Updated Distributer" Do you mean "Points type To HEI" type (GM STOCK big cap) Or some other type of system?

IF you mean a GM type HEI..look carefully on the bottom of the cap..there should be 2 rows of terminals..the rear will be 3 or 4 terminal and should have a pigtail that plugs in there from the module and magnetic pickup from inside the distributer..

The front terminals will be marked "BATT" and "TACH" ...A red or pink 10 gauge wire will plug into the "BATT" terminal , this wire comes from the Ignition switch..and goes on and off with the key..(It just may be the purple wire) Check with a DVOM set to DCV , V X 20 or higher , while cycling the key..If it goes on/off, that is the "BATT" wire.

The TACH terminal gets the pickup for the tach..traditionally a white wire..IF you have a non~Stock tach..It may be the Green wire..

It may ALSO be the secondary Ignition wire if yours was a points type prior..this wire will not be used on the HEI ignition..it may be removed. It runs from the "I" or "R" terminal on the starter solenoid (the one closest to the Fender side) .

To Test, put your meter on the wire, and have some hit "Start , then relax the key back to the run position..If the meter jumps to 12 volts (or there abouts..) then back to zero in concert with the key..that is the secondary ignition wire.

ALSO , be sure the wire that is "hot in Run only" , (the suspected Purple wire) does not have , or is not a resistance wire or ballast resistor lead..The HEI won't run (or run very badly ) with a ballast resistor in line , which was required by the old points type coil and points to keep from burning them up prematurely..It dropped the operating from 14.4 to 6 or 9 volts..An HEI can't operate that low..

TO test, get a 12 volt lamp (for current load), hook it to the purple wire, turn the key on..IF the lamp lights dim, measure the voltage with your DVOM with the lamp connected..it will probably read 6 to 9 volts..find the ballast resistor OR section of resistance wire, and replace it with a regular 10 gauge wire.

IF the lamp stays bright, and it reads 14.4 to no less than 11 volts..(at static) someone has already removed that wire or ballast resistor and your good to go!

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